Mission Accomplished?

The American people deserve straight answers to these questions, but so far no politician has stepped up to offer a candid assessment. Will Mr. Obama answer these questions? Will the Republican aspirants for President offer anything more than sound bites in response to them? Are they capable of addressing anything other than the economic issues of our time? They better be, because the so-called War on Terror has not only drained our treasury, it has taken an enormous physical, mental, and emotional toll on the young warriors and their families who've born the brunt of this war. For them, the price of our engagement has been far more than economic.

During military conflicts, the fog of war often obscures the combatants' vision, but now that our troops are returning home, we must engage in a clear and sober assessment of whether our mission was really accomplished. We don't need photo ops of the President in a flight suit on the deck of a carrier with a banner declaring "Mission Accomplished," we just need the cold hard truth. Was it worth it – why or why not?

Do we have the courage to ask this question given all that has transpired? More importantly, will our leaders answer it?